Days Gone By - MoM 2016 Lineup

The Seventh Annual MoM Festival is going to be the best one yet! The Artist Roster is absolutely BURSTING at the seams.In addition to all the great performers you've come to expect, this year we also have a few special events, such as Sorokathon, the Healing Sanctuary and Freedom Arts. Oh yes, and a wedding!

Zonnis

​This folk-roots duo first took the stage together New Year's Eve of 2009, married in 2010 and formed Zonnis in 2013, a celebration of the birth of their son Zander. With a full commitment to love in every mold imaginable, they regularly tour Western Canada, sometimes dipping into the coastal United States and taking touring, writing and family trips throughout Central America. Anywhere an audience is open-minded and engaged is Zonnis' favourite place to perform. Some festivals they have enjoyed rocking include Artswells, Arts on the Fly, MoM, Soul Fest and Hootstock. With enough originals to fill an evening and enough beloved cover tunes to fill a lifetime, a Zonnis show is about engaging and entertaining an audience through a musical adventure.

Billie Zizi

The reviews of Billie Zizi's debut album "Gun Metal Dress" agree that it is a sign of things to come. "Penguin Eggs" calls it "a fine first album laying down the ground work for what will no doubt be one of the country's most inventive voices for years to come and Turkish critic, Hande Eagle predicts it "will one day be looked back on a the starting point of a most incredible career." Billie Zizi has laid the foundations for a satisfying future and with her solid contributions to several side projects (The Gadjo Collective, The Black Wonders, Gypsy Jive) she already has a satisfying career behind and all around her.

Billie grew up in a family of artists, casually playing music but was gunning for a professional soccer career until injury forced her to reevaluate her life's ambition. After traveling to West Africa, Asia, India,Europe and the Balkans, she started gigging, enrolled in MacEwan University's jazz guitar program and began developing her own sound-one that is lovingly rooted in traditional forms and yet unmistakeably contemporary. Billie calls it "jazz-influenced folk with dirty guitar" and it's full-bodied lushness and lyrical directness hits the mark.​

White Spider

Mixed Media - Victoria, BC

White Spider Presents is a one woman fine arts theater currently based out of Victoria BC

Wax Mannequin

Strange-folk phenomenon Wax Mannequin is well-travelled. He has crossed a wide range of terrain — both sonic and physical — this decade past. Through his catalogue of secretly renowned recordings and his riotous live performances at countless venues and festivals, Wax continues to bring his essential voice and vision to both sides of the Atlantic. His legend grows through word-of-mouth as his music is passed from hand-to-hand — his influence trickles down from the minds of wayward kindred souls, insidiously seeping into the poetic heart of this country.​Chris Adeney adopted the moniker Wax Mannequin in 2001 when he released a strange, circuit bent bedroom recording and began a series intense, confrontational shows around his province. In 2003, with the release of his second album ‘and Gun’, Wax hit the trans-Canadian road where his performances took on a decidedly harder edge — absurd yet earnest lyrics were delivered emphatically over distorted electric guitar and bombastic electronic accompaniment. In the struggle of travel and survival, Wax’s cerebral performance-art urges were torn asunder, like bloody roses ripped from the flesh and thrown to the multitude. Between 2004 and 2008 he released two band-backed rock records — ‘The Price’ (2004) and ‘Orchard and Ire’ (2007) — that captured the vein-busting fervour and strange charisma of his live show.

Edith Wallace

EDITH WALLACE is a talented, prolific songwriter and a singer known for her passionate, memorable voice. Being transplanted from Scotland as a teenager, living several years in Alberta and finally settling on British Columbia’s beautiful West Coast has given Edith a broad outlook on life as an ever-changing journey. Coupled with a deep spiritual commitment, her observations of everyday life are captured with poignancy and a great measure of good humour. Edith performs across North America and has toured in Japan, Australia, Europe and New Zealand. Her work has been featured on local as well as national TV and radio. She has four critically-acclaimed albums of original material to her credit: Standing Naked In the Rain, the live album Bare Breasted in Bali, The Tree in my Garden, and her most recent release, First Bloom (2016).

Twin Peaks

"Twin Peaks is poised to become one of the most interesting and dynamic faces of British Columbia folk, and Canadian music in general."JESSE COLE, CALEDONIA COURIER

Rich harmonies, a piano, a guitar, two ukuleles and unlimited wit are at the heart of Twin Peaks - an emerging duo that embraces roots music with undertones of country and contemporary blues. Naomi Shore and Lindsay Pratt - although very diverse in their musical histories - have successfully combined individual experiences into a unique blend of genres. It is eclectic, creative and clever. Born and raised in northern BC in the city of Fort St. John, their music reflects small town wisdom with lively humour and songs that immediately capture an audience.

Lindsay and Naomi's onstage chemistry is totally infectious. They provide their audience with the whole meal deal: undeniably catchy tunes, adorable eye candy and a good laugh. They manage to combine all of these attributes into a genuinely endearing act.

Sam Tudor

Folk/Trip Hop - Vancouver, BC

Sam Tudor grew up at a forestry camp outside of Williams Lake, British Columbia. During long bus rides in the dark he developed a love of music, poetry, and science fiction novels concerned with the decline of society. In 2011 he commandeered a microphone and a computer and began recording songs in a small six by six foot storage cupboard at his high school. The town of Williams Lake became the testing grounds for many unorthodox and poorly done recordings.

​After one independently released EP and some forays into live performance, Sam decided to return to the storage cupboard to record a full-length album. The result was the strange folk album “Animals And Arson”, which was released in June 2012. The album was played frequently on CBC radio shows North by Northwest and Radio West, and was in common rotation on campus radio stations such as CiTR and CFUR. Arson was a featured album on music journalism sites AMBY, The Vancouver Music Review, and The Permanent Rain Press. The songs were called both ‘upbeat and chaotic’ and ‘unassuming and mystifying.’ Despite conflicting adjectives, the albums print run sold out.

Tax Free Liquor

some people say we are the best party band in the cariboo! Tax free liquor has been around for six years. We have a unique, fun sound , concentrating mostly on originals and giving any cover songs the tax free liquor sound! We consist of lead vocalist, back-up vocals, two guitar players, bassist who also plays synthesizer, and a rockin' drummer and often mix things up with other instruments

Ben Sures

Folk - Edmonton, AB bensures.comBen Sures songs are uniquely thought out and delivered. His side of every story is the one that makes you think, 'that makes sense and why didn't I think of that?'.

If you were to describe his performance style very melodic, great acoustic playing , excellent storytelling and moments of stomach clutching hilarity. When he performs solo, he takes you in on his storytelling journey, he connects with the audience, when he performs with a group his gifts on the guitar really come alive and the powerful melodies become center stage from the back up vocals . Deceivingly down to earth, he is so comfortable on stage, sometimes you forget there is a stage and this is a concert going on.

Spaceport Union

Psych Rock - Outer Space spaceportunion.comFormed in the far reaches of the universe by the fusion of powerful West Coast talent, a formidable pulse of pure energy is set to make contact at the speed of light and transport you to astral dimensions of avant-garde, on waves of sound that appeal to even the most discerning of audiophiles.

The mysterious and eccentric, Spaceport Union, will whisk you away on a compelling cosmic voyage with their eclectic amalgamation of progressive art rock. Let yourself defy gravity as you are drawn into celestial planes diffused with experimental instrumentation and novel sound ideas, very much in the trail of past greats such as the Alan Parsons Project, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd.

Spaceport Union is a brilliant constellation of diverse talents including award-winning goth and art-rocker Caroline Spence, on guitars, keys and vocals; multi-instrumentalist Adam Basterfield (who also moonlights in the Pink Floyd tribute,'Pigs'), on lead guitar, keys and vocals, 'in the pocket' drummer, Taylor Charles, and with deep, rhymthmic grooves, bassist and harmony vocalist, Aaron St.Arnault. Along with the sheer energy and dynamic force of their live performance, the band effortlessly transcend the mainstream and connect listeners to the realm of the timeless.

Dave Soroka

Folk - Grand Forks, BC I live in Grand Forks, British Columbia, right down on the US border. I've been writing songs since 1969 when I got my first guitar at 15.

I'm an Army brat, but I call Grand Forks my home town.

When I was young I worked as a section man on the Canadian Pacific Railway, pulled boards on the green chain for Pope And Talbot, loaded boxcars and drove a boom boat for MacMillan Bloedel on Vancouver Island, fought forest fires...but for the most part I've been self-employed all my adult life, doing whatever it takes...

I have three kids and three grandkids so far. I didn’t raise my own kids so I can't brag about how they've all turned out, but they're all beautiful.

To date I've written about a thousand songs.

I've recorded a number of CDs.

As far as my goals for my art: I just want the listener to feel some of what I feel.

Shadows Cast

A two piece multi-instrumental band from Haida Gwaii playing all original music that is heavily inspired by the local landscape. From dark and dreamy melodies to driven rhythmic jams, this dynamic duo will take you on an intimate sonic trip of lyrical reflections through the shadows into light. Main instruments: Guitar, drums, banjo, bass, fiddle, loop station.

Samson's Delilah

Seth Macdonald and Shara Gustafson, better known as the front line of the funk/rock/reggae/world groove high energy dance band "Mamaguroove", born and raised in Dunster, B.C. "Mamaguroove" has been playing its infectious , all original music at festivals and venues all across British Columbia and Alberta for over 10 years.

As "Samson's Delilah", Seth and Shara have ventured into new musical territory. With an acoustic twist, and heavily influenced by latin guitar, reggae, and other world music, they create powerful and passionate performances as a duo. The thread of the "guroove" runs deep in the "Samson's Delilah", and you will not be dissapointed by the fusion and spell that they weave....

The Party on High Street

Funky Funk - Victoria, BC thepartyonhighstreet.fourfour.comThe Party on High Street is lively danceable mix of funk, folk and jazz-rock, joyfully delivered by a loveable band of seasoned musicians and entertainers. The Party sings of peculiar youthful experience, odd love and some of the weirder aspects of life. Touring and playing live shows has been and integral part of The Party since the beginning. Every summer they travel further into the British Columbia and Alberta Folk Festival scene. This summer the boys played at over 6 music festivals including sharing a stage with Blue Rodeo at Wild Mountain Music Festival and rocking out ArtsWells with 3 sets as well as backing a number of other artists.

Raghu Lokanathan

Folk - Prince George raghumusic.com​Raghu is a thin, bearded, bespectacled man who will smile if you look at him. Almost a decade ago, he came to Prince George on the run, to live in the care of his brother, a daydreaming surgeon. Raghu’s latest experiment in the countryside of Nova Scotia had led him to conclude that he was not cut out to be a farmer. He was relieved to find that all he had left were the songs he’d made, and a drive to keep making more.

So he wrote and wrote and wrote songs, better than any he had ever written before; clever, sympathetic songs that showed a dark, and darkly humorous, edge. He played some great concerts and by the time he released his album Caledonia, everyone could see he was headed for bigger things. His songs were played and regularly requested on CBC programs like the Vinyl Café and Richardson’s Roundup, whose host Bill Richardson said the song “Ramona” was “genius”. Raghu was asked to play at the Vancouver folk festival, where the late Utah Phillips heard him, and said that Raghu “writes songs like they used to a long time ago.” He toured across the country. Other artists began covering his songs. He wrote and wrote and wrote brilliant new songs, grittier than before, with radical experiments in song structure and point-of-view that always sounded natural, even inevitable.

George Leach

R&B/Soul Lillooet - georgeleach.comGeorge Leach is an artist in relentless pursuit of truth. His dedication to songcraft is evident throughout his career, nowhere more so than on his latest album, Surrender, out now.

Surrender is the follow up to George’s debut from 2000, Just Where I’m At. The album’s 11 tracks offer ample proof that the time was well spent.. From the funky groove of opening track You Got It, to the confident modern rock groove and keening vocal hooks of the first single, Carry Me, to the vulnerability and intimacy in songs like the title track, Surrender takes you on an adventure. The album covers a vast terrain – touches of classic rock, balladry, and R&B, all in the service of a restless musical explorer coming into his own. It ranks among the finest you will encounter, this year or any other.

Now it’s time to hit the road again. Shows are planned throughout 2013. The energy level of a George Leach show can be described as ‘high’, to put it mildly. In concert George disappears into the moment, chasing the promise of fleeting transcendence that music offers and taking us all with him. Don’t miss it.

Doug Koyama

Improvised A Capella Loops - Vancouver, BC

With a voice as big as all outdoors and some looping technology Doug Koyama builds sonic sound-scapes that range from perfectly simple to devilishly complex and everything in between.

“Improvised A Capella is the art of getting out of the way of the music that naturally wants to come from you. All you need to remember is take a breath, make a sound, keep going.”

Improvised A Capella with a loop pedal is the most compelling thing you’ve never heard before. Rich vocals are looped in limitless layers of interlocking patterns where poly-rhythm and discordance dance on impossible aural landscapes. Invented language introduces the idea of storytelling without the encumbrance of words, the whole thing melts into an experience that will leave you breathless.

The Joey Only Outlaw Band

​The Joey Only Outlaw Band is a hard hittin psychedelic bluegrass comedy act who you can't easily compare with any one else that's out there. Joey's done a thousand shows in Canada, sang 50,000 dirges & drank 15,000 beers in the process of telling 22,000 jokes.

They'll play a smokin outlaw country punk sounding assemblage of hilarous, offensive and thought provoking that doesn't let up till the words LAST CALL are uttered from management. His albums are okay, but his live shows are where he made his name, especially since 2002. He ran his own radio show for years and was on the charts of every college and CBC station at one time or another. This is what Outlaw Country Punk in Canada is supposed to sound and act like.

Test Their Logik​

Hip Hop - Turtle Island ​testtheirlogik.com/Using hip-hop to inspire political action and to deliver potent messages of social and environmental justice, TEST THEIR LOGIK has developed a following amongst activists and hip-hop heads alike. For 7 years they've toured this planet, supporting social movements and freedom fighters at the frontlines of struggles against the tyranny and violence of the powerful, as well as rocking parties, festivals, and stages on every continent. Their most recent album “BE” was well-received on campus radio across Canada, staying in the the top 10 on the hip-hop charts Nationally for 10 weeks straight and hitting #1 at various stations across North America. They are currently working on their third full-length Album "See".

The Give Em Hell Boys

When did country music lose it’s edge? Why are albums by Hank Williams and Johnny Cash considered classics to this day? The answer is simple. Albums by Johnny Cash and Hank Williams have soul. They’re timeless. They’re about hard-drinking and heartache and that will never go out of fashion.

The Give ‘Em Hell Boys share that fire. Not concerned with the pop-country that survives on the radio, The Give ‘Em Hell Boys takes their punk rock foundation and add genuine country soul. With a live show that is full energy from beginning to end.

​The Give ‘Em Hell Boys can stand shoulder to shoulder with any lineup. With the release of their debut album ‘Barn Burner’ The Give ‘Em Hell Boys relayed the message that good country music is not dead. “We want to live up to our heroes. There are the classic performers like Johnny and Hank, but there’s also people like Fred Eaglesmith and groups like Larry and His Flask that inspire us to play genuine, high energy music” says lead vocalist and acoustic guitar player Quinn Clark, known to his fans on Facebook as San Quentin.

Frontal Lobotomy

Frontal Lobotomy consists of Raghu Lokanathan, Samantha Scott, and Danny Bell. We started playing together as the host band for the open mic at Nancy O’s Restaurant in Prince George. Playing a smear of folk Canadiana, our sets include originals, songs by our friends, songs by the famous and the obscure, and the odd bit of polka and tango. We aim to keep the Legion dancers happy."

Folky Strum Strum

Psych Folk - Rolla, BC folkystrumstrum.com​The People that make up Folky Strum Strum play their version of Banjo Rockin’ folk music. They hail from the Peace Region in BC, met and came together for the simple passion of playing music. “The group has been described by fans as having a unique and soulful sound, that is backed by exceptional songwriting.”

In 2004, Folky Strum Strum released their first album the 'Iyan Bruvold Songbook Vol. #1'.October 2013 marks when the second album 'Son Stand Still' hit shelves! 'You could say we started in this project in the kitchen and ended up dancing in the livingroom. And, yes, what a great dance it's been...' - Bert Goulet, Producer

Iyan Bruvold, singer/songwriter, banjo & guitar player, started strumming the guitar at an early age almost instantly began song writing, which has recently won him the honourable mention award in the Song Writing Competition at ArtsWells 2010. Recently Folky Strum Strum consists of Brianne Hudson Fiddle/Sax, Amy Gothard on Stand Up Bass, Jason Pratt on Drums and Iyan Bruvold, singer/songwriter, banjo & guitar player.

D.O.A. ​

​Canada’s legendary Punk Kings, who helped spread punk rock counter culture around the world, approach a momentous milestone. For nearly 25 years D.O.A. has been happily slashing away at all manner of philosophical enemies. They’ve traveled the globe almost continuously since they formed in 1978; they released their first snarling piece of vinyl, the "Disco Sucks" EP in June of that year. That slab of plastic opened the door to international prominence, riots, rip-off record companies and three generations of fans.

In 1981, D.O.A. made the term "hardcore" their own and pushed it into the common vernacular with their legendary album "Hardcore 81" and subsequent tours. Consequently, D.O.A. has been cited as a major influence for tons of bands ranging from The Red Hot Chili Peppers to Green Day to Rancid to The Offspring. They followed that up with their ground breaking EP "War on 45" and "Bloodied But Unbowed."

Scott Cook and the Second Chances

A roots balladeer with a rare personal warmth, Canada's Scott Cook has distilled the stories collected over a decade of near-incessant touring across Canada, the USA, Europe, Asia, and Australia into straight-talking, keenly observant verse. His fourth release, One More Time Around, was nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award, and its opening track "Pass It Along" won the Folk and Acoustic category in the 2013 UK Songwriting Contest, with UK magazine Maverick Country naming him "one of Canada's most inspiring and imaginative storytellers". He's returning to MoM with his acoustic trio the Second Chances (Bramwell Park on banjo, mandolin, guitar and harmony vocals, and Melissa Walker on upright bass and harmonies) before they part ways for the rest of the year. Cook is one of the hardest-working troubadours on the road today, averaging over 160 shows and a dozen festivals every year since 2007. All the hard miles notwithstanding, he still believes that songs can change your life, and your life can change the world.

"There's nothing flash about Canada's Cook. He sings his heart and soul, and in doing so lets light flood into your own... He has a good eye for imagery, a gentle human touch, a wry sense of humour, a whole lot of integrity, a warm, rugged voice and a bunch of memorable lines... Truly one of Woody Guthrie's children."-David Burke, R2 Magazine, UK​

Blocktreat

Brandon Hoffman layers found sounds and field recordings to create a relaxing mosaic of acoustic and electronic textures. His live set meshes the percussion of old school drum samplers with live mandolin looping and effects processing. Blocktreat has three releases on the Jellyfish Recordings label, and can be heard regularly on CBC’s The Signal with Laurie Brown. For this show, the percussive energy of Brent Morton is thrown into the mix.

Crones

Rock-Prince George, BCcronesband.tumblr.com/Crones started out as the solo project of Nathan Kelly filling rooms with edgy falsettos and evocative lyrics over a grounded acoustic guitar. Since then, Crones has expanded to become a five-piece indie-rock band, keeping the same lyrical sensibilities, and making music the audience can cut loose to on the dance floor.

Crones has a “let’s hang-out and scream some tunes” style when it comes to writing, recording and performing live. To Crones, music is supposed to be fun. This vibe is imbued in the band’s series of EPs, demos and one off-oddities that have lead to their first full length album, “Air Chud”. ​While working on new material to record and release in the near future, Crones plans to continue to make audiences dance, laugh, faint, party and have a good time wherever and whenever they can.

Blackberry Wood

﻿Gypsy-Punk, Jazzy, Alt-Country Vancouverfacebook.com/blackberrywoodMaking people dance to an irresistible mix of Original music inspired by Gypsy punk, Footstompin' New Orleans Jazzy musical mash ups and square danceable Alt-Country!!! Blackberry Wood has survived 7 years of making people dance in festivals all over Western Canada, England and The States and continues the tradition this year with a new crew of wonderful musical talents lead by ring leader Kris Wood.

​Beehive Collective

The work of the Beehive Collective is multidisciplinary and multifaceted. We are most recognized for our expansive narrative graphics campaigns, but we also put a lot of time and energy into projects on the ground in communities where we are based. We create graphics, share stories, tour with our work, connect with local to global efforts, and shape our collective experience together. As with our narrative posters, there is no way to separate the various types of work we do – everything intersects and nothing stands alone.

​Joline Baylis ​

Singer Songwriter - Vancouver, BC jolinebaylis.bandcamp.com​Joline Baylis is a Vancouver-based singer-songwriter, poised to take her music far beyond the city that has shaped her. With a voice reminiscent of Eva Cassidy and Ani Difranco, her original material is fresh, haunting, and deeply personal. Her lyrics explore the depths of her experience with honesty and vulnerability, inviting listeners to encounter and connect with their own emotions.

Barefoot Caravan

Barefoot Caravan is a group based in BC’s Okanagan Valley who perform indigenous music in various languages. They represent the people of the world with unique, upbeat arrangements along with original compositions. They combine root rhythms; Soca, Afro-Cuban, Gypsy and Reggae with melodic harmonies.

Currently touring with their brand new debut EP Echoes, released in May, the Caravan travels across western Canada offering diverse and highly interactive performances. Oka, Shane Philip, Adham Shaikh, Tasman Jude, Blackberry Wood and Five Alarm Funk are among some of the many artists Barefoot Caravan have had the pleasure of sharing a stage with. From lively dance sets to intimate acoustic shows for various venues including, festivals, house concerts, galleries and school cultural assemblies. Barefoot Caravan have been performing for over two years and have played several hundred shows.

​Jeff Andrew

Jeff Andrew’s world is one of back alleys, dark shadows, highways and hauntings. The folk-noir fiddler and singer-songwriter takes a head full of ghost stories, murder ballads, train tunes and protest songs and turns it into an electrified patchwork of folk, punk, Celtic and old jazz. Onstage he’s a relentless performer who’s frequently seen working straight from the floor, stomping his boots and belting like a born-again carnival barker while pounding his guitar strings or chopping and sawing at the fiddle.

With a fan base ranging from veteran folkies to teenage crust punks, he’s toured Canada multiple times as a solo performer, a member of folk/spoken word duo Ghosts of the Highway and as the fiddler for the Joey Only Outlaw Band. Since 2008, he’s released 3 full-length albums, been heard on radio stations across Canada and Western Europe and nationally on CBC, and performed at festivals including the Brandon Folk, Music & Art Festival, the Robson Valley Music Festival, Whitehorse, YT’s Sunstroke Music Festival and the ArtsWells Festival of All Things Art.